Information About Meenakshi Amman Temple - Madurai

Meenakshi Amman Temple
  

The Meenakshi temple complex at Madurai is a city temple. It has eminent and exquisitely carved towers enveloping the temple, dedicated to Goddess Meenakashi in Madurai. The temple consists of the twin temples of God Shiva and Goddess Meenakshi, each one as high as about nine storeys. The temple is superb example of sculpture and magnificent architecture. The Meenakshi temple has majestic stonewalls and towers rising out of the swarming streets of the city center. The image of Goddess Meenakshi is said to be carved out of a single emerald.

 According to the legend of this temple the marriage of the goddess Meenakshi to Shiva actually took place in Madurai and is still celebrated every summer with great enthusiasm and gaiety.The Meenakshi Amman Temple is one of the few temples in Tamil Nadu to have four entrances facing four directions. This temple was selected as one of the Seven Wonders of India by NDTV and it is running as the frontrunner in the election for the Modern Seven Wonders of the World.

Features Of The Temples

The Temple complex has 12 wonderful Gopurams (Towers) including two golden Gopurams for the main deities Lord Shiva and Meenakshi Amman which are intricately sculptured and painted. The tallest of these 12 Gopurams is the southern Gopuram which rises over 52 meters high. This Temple complex is surrounded by other shrine sanctums and grand pillared halls.The entrance to the temple complex is indicated by towering gateways at the four cardinal points, while lesser gopuras lead to the sanctums of the main deities.

Ashta Shakthi Mandapam

 Ashta Shakthi Mandapam is located at the eastern gateway of the Meenakshi Amman temple. It was constructed by Thirumalai Nayakar’s wives Rudrapathi Ammal and Tholimamai. This is the hall where food was once distributed to the coming from off places. This entrance leads directly to the Shrine of Goddess Meenakshi Amman.This hall has a dedicated lamp-holder with 1,008 lamps, which are lit and decorated on festive occasions. The sculptures on the pillars tell us about some of the miracles of Lord Shiva and also the story of Meenakshi's birth and her life as the princess of Madurai.

Potramaraikulam (Golden Lotus Tank)

Potramaraikulam is the ancient holy water tank which is 40 m by 60 m in itself is where the devotees take bath. The ancient academy of poets (Tamil Sangam) meeting place was around the Potramaraikulam.The tank is encircled by a pillared corridor. There are steps that lead down to the tank, enabling worshippers to take bathe in it. 

Oonjal Mandapam

Meenakshi TempleThe Oonjal (swing) Mandapam and Killikoontu (parrot cage) Mandapam are situated on the western side of the tank. The golden idols of Meenakshi and Sundareswarar are seated on the swing in the Oonjal Madapam every Friday and hymns are sung as the deities swing to and fro. The parrots have trained in the Killikoontu Mandapam to repeat goddess Meenakshi Amman’s name. The interesting part of the Mandapam is 28 pillars which portray some magnificent sculptures of figures of Pandavas, Vali, Sugreeva and the inevitable Yali from Hindu mythology of which the Vijayanagar Kings were very fond of. The shrine of the Vigneswara is located at the southern end of this Mandapam.

Ayirankal Mandapam (thousand Pillar Mandapam)

Ayirankal Mandapam is located to the east of the Sundareswarar Sannidhi. There are actually 985 pillars in the Ayirankal Mandapam which supports the roof 73 meters by 76 meters with excellent sculptures. This hall also houses a Temple Art Museum, where you can see icons, photographs, drawings, etc., exhibiting the 1200 years old history. Other than this mandapam there many smaller and bigger mandapams in the temple.

Vasantha Mandapam

Built by Thirumalai Nayakkar, the mandapam is the venue of the Vasanthosavam - the Spring festival, celebrated in Vaikasi (April/May).  This Mandapam is also known as Pudhu Mandapam which contains sculptures of Lord Shiva, Meenakshi, scenes from their wedding and also the figures of ten Nayak Kings along with their consorts.

Rani Mangammal Mandapam

The Rani Mangammal Mandapam is located towards the west side of the Potramaraikulam (golden lotus tank) projecting over the stairs of the tank.The Rani Mangammal Mandapam has statues of the queen, her minister Ramappayyan and grandson Vijayaranga Chokkanatha.This Mandapam has large number of paintings about the events that took place during Rani Mangammal’s Period. The Painting of Meenakshi-Sundareswarar Thirukalyanam was painted gorgeously on this Mandapam. 

Musical Pillars

In the Ayirankkal Mandapam, there are two Musical Pillars and near Mottai Gopuram there are five Musical Pillars. Every Musical Pillar has a central column surrounded by groups of thin columns well-defined from the same stone. Each and every pillar produces a different musical note when struck.

Swami Sundareswarar Shrine

The Shrine of Lord Sundareswarar (Shiva) the consort of Goddess Meenakshi is to the north of Kilikoontu Mandapam . There's a gigantic idol of Sri Ganesh called Mukkurini Pillaiyar on the way. There's a stump of a Kadamba tree, in the outer pragaram (corridor outside the main shrine), which is said to be a part of the same tree under which Indra worshiped Shiva linga. There's also Kadambathadi Mandapam in the outer corridor and big hall called 'Velli Ambalam'.

Temple Towers:

East Tower    - The 161 feet 3 inch, high tower is nine storied and has 1011 Sudhai figures.

West Tower   - The 163 feet 3 inch, high tower is nine storied carved with 1124 Sudhai figures.

South Tower - The 170 feet 3 inches, high tower has nine stories with 1511 Sudhai figures.

North Tower - The 160 feet 6 inch high nine storied tower has Sudhai figures than other towers.